Brandon Paul breaks jaw

John Supinie

Friday

Jun 22, 2012 at 12:01 AMJun 22, 2012 at 9:18 PM

The Illinois basketball program suffered a setback Thursday. Star guard Brandon Paul, the team's leading scorer last season, is scheduled for surgery Friday after breaking his jaw during an open gym at the Ubben Basketball Complex, according to team officials.

CHAMPAIGN -- The Illinois basketball program suffered a setback Thursday.

Star guard Brandon Paul, the team's leading scorer last season, is scheduled for surgery Friday after breaking his jaw during an open gym at the Ubben Basketball Complex, according to team officials.

No timetable has been set for his return, but he is expected to return to non-contact drills in two weeks. First-year coach John Groce's transition to the Illini was helped by a new NCAA rule allowing coaches to work with players on the court during the summer semester, but his top player will be sidelined.

The injury happened when Devin Langford chased a loose ball and inadvertently collided with Paul. The contact came with Langford's shoulder and Paul's jaw, according to the university.

A third-team All-Big Ten pick last season, Paul averaged 14.7 points a game and is expected to serve as a go-to scorer in Groce's offense.

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnSupinie.

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